Jeff, the reason the report was sent to W.H. Smith was because Sir Charles Warren, in his evidence to Curtis Bennett, stated, "I have spoken to the Secretary of State and the First Lord of the Treasury as to Mr Evans' financial position." The First Lord of the Treasury was W.H. Smith.

There is a letter on the file, on 10 Downing Street notepaper, from a Mr. Pattisson, who I believe to have been W.H. Smith's private secretary, to John Satterfield Saunders, who was Henry Matthew's private secretary, dated 16 July 1888, which says:

Dear Saunders,

Mr Smith has read the report relating to Mr Evans of the Metropolitan Police Office and now returns it. He will be obliged if you will kindly thank Mr Matthews for sending it to him.

Yours sincerely,

J.L. Pattisson

Thanks David, I should have said First Lord of the Treasury (the post usually assumed by Prime Ministers who sat in the House of Commons) rather than Party Leader, but basically Smith is sitting in that position for Salisbury in the Upper House.